InClass

Learn face-to-face from leaders of the New York Hall of Science — no cross-country flight necessary.

It’s one thing to download a suite of five iPad apps and use them in the classroom, but it’s another to master award-winning technology, while working alongside experts. If this sounds like a dream come true, join the Arizona K12 Center for Teaching STEM Through Art and Design on Dec. 8–9.

Doug Moore is the Vice President of Digital Education Strategy and Business Education Development for the New York Hall of Science. The Harvard University alumnus works with his colleagues to offer professional development for teachers, while also producing curricula and resources for classrooms, and studying how technology and play affect learning.

The New York Hall of Science was originally established for the 1964–65 World’s Fair, and has since progressed into New York’s center for interactive science. According to Moore, the physical space is visited by half million students, teachers, and families each year.

“We have a deep history and experience in making complex topics accessible, engaging, and delightful to a varied audience,” Moore says. “Queens is the most diverse borough in the United States and possibly the world. We are quite adept and used to serving a broad array of learners, which is why the design of our products is always grounded in the expectation of reaching a wide spectrum.”

Most recently, the New York Hall of Science developed Noticing Tools, a suite of five iPad apps — Playground Physics, Choreo Graph, Fraction Mash, Size Wise, and Volumize — inspired and guided by the organization’s design-make-play approach.

“‘Design’ emphasizes intentionality in problem solving and helps people see the possibilities in the world. ‘Make’ highlights hands-on experience with materials, tools, and processes, and nurtures the development of skills and confidence. ‘Play’ promotes intrinsic motivation and deep engagement,” Moore explains.

The New York Hall of Science’s digital education strategy reflects their mission to go beyond-the-walls of the physical environment and impact students around the country and potentially around the world.

Fast forward a few months, when two of NYSCI’s professional learning facilitators will accomplish this goal by visiting the Arizona K12 Center. Teaching STEM Through Art and Design participants will receive high-quality instruction on the apps, while also familiarizing themselves with the 50-plus lesson plans available for classroom integration. The two days of hands-on learning will enable teachers to bring the technology into the classroom, feeling well prepared to engage students in meaningful learning.

“It’s not just for the kids who are already turned on to STEM. We want these apps to make science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics accessible, engaging, and delightful, while also making students feel empowered and successful,” Moore says. “This is the challenge that teachers face all the time. Maybe the challenge is reaching an English-language learner, or someone with a diverse array of experiences.”

Take a student who says he’d rather be in art class, for example.

“You can use the apps to your advantage here. We’ve allowed the technology to put the student’s desires and interests at the center of the learning. The apps are not just about content knowledge, but about empowerment.” The bigger question: “How do we make learning irresistible?”

Does this all sound too good to be true? The cherry on top is that the apps are now available for free! So whether you’re a one-to-one classroom, or you’ve got an iPad cart to share among 30 students, register now — you won’t want to miss Teaching STEM Through Art and Design on Dec. 8–9.